Cheating in relationships is a topic that the Bible addresses through principles of faithfulness, integrity, and the sanctity of marriage. It condemns adultery and dishonesty, while also emphasizing repentance, forgiveness, and restoration. Below are 30 Bible verses that address cheating in a relationship, each accompanied by a brief commentary to illustrate their significance and guidance on the topic.
Bible Verses About Cheating In A Relationship
1. Exodus 20:14
“You shall not commit adultery.”
This commandment explicitly forbids adultery, emphasizing the sanctity of marriage and God’s intention for faithfulness between partners.
2. Proverbs 6:32
“But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself.”
Cheating not only harms the relationship but also damages one’s own integrity, reflecting the self-destructive nature of adultery.
3. Hebrews 13:4
“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”
The verse underscores the need for marital purity and faithfulness, warning of God’s judgment against those who dishonor their commitments.
4. Matthew 5:27-28
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Jesus expands the definition of adultery to include lustful thoughts, showing that faithfulness begins in the heart and mind.
5. Proverbs 5:18-19
“May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer—may her breasts satisfy you always.”
The verse encourages delight in one’s spouse and cherishing the marital bond, fostering loyalty and contentment in the relationship.
6. 1 Corinthians 6:18
“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually sins against their own body.”
Paul calls for believers to avoid sexual sin, recognizing its unique consequences on both body and spirit, and the harm it brings.
7. Malachi 2:14-16
“The Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.”
God views marriage as a sacred covenant and condemns betrayal within it, emphasizing His desire for marital fidelity.
8. Matthew 19:9
“I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
Jesus acknowledges the seriousness of sexual unfaithfulness as grounds for divorce, highlighting the gravity of cheating in marriage.
9. Proverbs 7:21-23
“With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter.”
This passage warns about the dangers of succumbing to temptation and the destructive consequences that follow infidelity.
10. Luke 16:18
“Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
Jesus reinforces the commitment to marriage, teaching that faithfulness is essential even after a divorce unless based on grounds of immorality.
11. Proverbs 12:22
“The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”
The verse emphasizes the importance of honesty and trustworthiness in relationships, which are foundational to marital faithfulness.
12. Ephesians 5:25
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
Paul calls for selfless love and devotion within marriage, which excludes the selfishness and betrayal inherent in cheating.
13. Job 31:1
“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.”
Job’s commitment to purity illustrates the importance of controlling one’s desires to maintain faithfulness in relationships.
14. Colossians 3:5
“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”
Paul urges believers to eliminate sinful behaviors, including sexual immorality and lust, to live a life pleasing to God.
15. 2 Timothy 2:22
“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
Timothy is encouraged to avoid youthful temptations, aiming for purity and godliness in all relationships.
16. 1 Corinthians 7:2
“But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband.”
Paul advises marriage as a means of fulfilling sexual desires within a faithful and committed relationship, rather than through immoral actions.
17. James 1:14-15
“But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin.”
James explains the progression of temptation leading to sin, highlighting the need to resist desires that can lead to infidelity.
18. Proverbs 6:25-26
“Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes. For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, but another man’s wife preys on your very life.”
This verse warns against lusting after someone who is not your spouse, recognizing the severe consequences that can follow.
19. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4
“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy.”
God’s desire for sanctification includes avoiding sexual immorality and maintaining control over one’s desires to preserve purity.
20. Hosea 3:1
“The Lord said to me, ‘Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress.'”
Hosea’s forgiveness and love toward his unfaithful wife reflect God’s enduring love and willingness to restore broken relationships.
21. Exodus 34:14
“Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”
God’s jealousy for His people illustrates the exclusive commitment expected in marriage, paralleling the faithfulness required in our relationship with Him.
22. Galatians 5:19-21
“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery… those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Paul lists sexual immorality as a work of the flesh that hinders one’s spiritual inheritance, calling for a life of purity.
23. Deuteronomy 5:18
“You shall not commit adultery.”
The repetition of this commandment reiterates the seriousness with which God views marital fidelity and His standard for relationships.
24. Ezekiel 23:37
“For they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols.”
Adultery is used here as a metaphor for spiritual unfaithfulness, reinforcing the importance of remaining true in all forms of covenant.
25. 1 Corinthians 10:13
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.”
God provides strength to resist temptation, including the temptation to be unfaithful, and offers a way out when faced with it.
26. Mark 10:11-12
“Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”
Jesus’ words emphasize the binding nature of marriage and the importance of honoring the marital vow without seeking easy escape.
27. Proverbs 2:16-17
“Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words, who has left the partner of her youth.”
The passage warns against being lured into infidelity, portraying wisdom as a protector against the seduction of cheating.
28. Leviticus 20:10
“If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.”
The Old Testament penalty for adultery reflects the gravity of this sin in God’s eyes, though Christ’s teachings later emphasize forgiveness.
29. Song of Solomon 8:6
“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave.”
The verse reflects the intensity of love and the expectation of exclusive commitment in romantic relationships, akin to the faithfulness in marriage.
30. Psalm 51:10
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
David’s prayer for a pure heart serves as a reminder to seek God’s help in maintaining faithfulness and integrity in relationships.
These verses highlight the seriousness with which the Bible treats cheating, emphasizing the importance of faithfulness, repentance, and God’s ability to restore broken relationships.
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